Science is working on that answer. Over the past two years, U.S. medical community has been studying and publishing reports on the affects of Cannabidiol (CBD), the second most abundant component of cannabis. The speed of the scientific results, is influencing the pace of the legalization of the marijuana.

In 2015, the National Library of Medicine published a report about cannabidiol as an intervention for addictive behaviors. The results of the study proved that CBD’s anxiolytic properties and minimal adverse side effects support its potential viability as a treatment option for a variety of symptoms associated with drug addiction. However, significant research is still needed as CBD investigations published to date primarily relate to its effects on opioid drugs, and CBD’s efficacy at different phases of the abuse cycle for different classes of addictive substances remain largely understudies. Understandably research takes time.

In 2017, medical researchers found that cannabidiol blocks opioid reward suggests that this compound may be useful in addictiontreatment settings. This is great news since the President Trump declared opioid epidemic a National emergency. Because now cannabis has a future of being federally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

That’s what the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is waiting for. In their resource guide for 2017, it states that there have been no deaths from a cannabis overdose. However the naturally made “drug” is still a Schedule I substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

Apparently fake weed is okay but the nature made product is illegal and could land you in jail. Marinol, a synthetic version of THC, the active ingredient found in the marijuana plant, can be prescribed for the control of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of cancer and to stimulate appetite in AIDS patients. Marinol is a Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act. It’s ironic that a plant is illegal and a schedule I drug while a doctor can prescribe a man made substance that mimics the natural product.

The DEA was making an effort to acquire their own research on the plant. Last year the justice agency started accepting applications for organizations to grow for sanctioned studies. The agency received 25 applications from interested cultivators, according to DEA spokeswoman Katherine Pfaff. All of those applications are still being processed, she said, with no estimate for when any decisions might be made. There won’t be any decision made soon.

Earlier this year Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, “Dosages can be constructed in a way that might be beneficial, I acknowledge that, but if you smoke marijuana, for example, where you have no idea how much THC you’re getting, it’s probably not a good way to administer a medicinal amount. So forgive me if I’m a bit dubious about that.” He does have a point. However effectively blocking the Drug Enforcement Administration from taking action on more than two dozen requests to grow marijuana to use in research is not a proactive solution towards the legalization of cannabis. Especially since only the University of Mississippi is approved by the government to grow and conduct research on cannabis. In my opinion, you need multiple organizations conducting studies on weed and compare results. That way to see if results can be replicated.

Mother Nature put things on this earth for a reason. It seems like politicians are government agencies are still figuring out what that reason is for the cannabis plant and how they can make money off it. After all, money makes the world go round.